SUNNY SOUTH

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1938, Page 5

SUNNY SOUTH

STEADY PROGRESS

AN INTERESTING JOURNEY,

A run through South Westland in

genial weather, confirms the praise Mr O’Brien, M.P., gave the territory when addressing the Postmaster-Gen-eral on Saturday forenoon. The Member for Westland realises the advancement going on, and wealth coming out of the district. The roading is now improved greatly, and access is a pleasure as well as a delight. The roads wind through remarkable bush country, and changing, scenic views mark the whole route.

However, Mr O’Brien referred to three important matters in regard to the main road: Th,e Wataroa erosion, most serious; Big Wanganui river bridge in jeopardy from flooding; and Evans Creek bridge, slowly being repaired. These matters certainly require attention. Below Weheka steady progress is being made with the bridges.. Bullock Creek work is rather tardy, but the Saltwater bridge is completed, and Havelock Creek is being placed under control. Workmen are on the Karangarua bridge, but like, Rome, it. won t be built in a day. The. Jacobs river bridge is still under wav, but better progress should soon be noted. Mr J. llart is just making a start with the Maintain river bridge. This nest of 'bridges out of the way, and .a fine run of .40 or 50 miles over level country from Weheka to Blue river. will be possible. ' Gillespie’s Beach road is almost com- ' pleted. It has a good surface, but is narrow. The finest view of the Southern Alps extant, is to be had from the Beach. The onlooker is at right, angles to Tasman and Cook, and the two giants present a wonderful,,; scene. There .is, another peak nearby—la Peru use—and so the three early navigators to New Zealand are held in everlasting memory by the eternal hills. One has not seen the Alps till they are viewed from Gillespies, , and if there is a setting sun in motion, the I .scene is indeed remarkable and well worth the trip to see. -

■ At Waiho Gorge, Graham Bros., are installing a bydro-electric plant from the' head water of the Tatai'e river. It will give plenty of power, and a surplus will be available for. the mountain railway to the snowfields of Franz Josef. When installed, this-'will be one of the greatest attractions on the West Coast.

The Okarito harbour works are about to be re-started. The entrance, following the late cut. still exists, but inside is the pipi bank barring shipping. It is proposed by using a dragline to clear the' obstruction, when boats will be able to reach the wharf. Timber from Wataroa' will be loaded there for export, This enterprise will give the locality a useful fillip, and successful, wiil lead to marked developments.

With the establishment of the Government road service in South Westland, the motor transport plant has been increased considerably. Harihari is the central headquarters where there is a large extending garage and workshops. The Okarito mail service is now being taken over by the Road Services. The district roads are all being improved to carry the growing traffic. The extension of the Big Wanganui Flat road to the sea beach provides a popular resort for the district, apart from the use the road is in timber transport and dairying development. Similarly, it is hoped the Little Wanganui road will be extended, and ultimately join the other road, and so provide facilities for a round trip. As marking the expansion of the locality, the Inter-Wanganui dairy factory is being re-built on an enlarged scale. The highway through Harihari is also to be sealed as soon as the present widening work is out of hand, A large bridge to cost about £SOOO is being built across the Waitangf river, to give, access to a. pastoral area on the south side. There are fine timber belts—including much white pine—in that region also. A road will be required later, and this will approach the coast near the he,ad of the Okarito Lagoon.

The sawmills to the south are all busy, and the volume of lorry transport on the roads bears testimony to that fact. This export adds greatly to the volume of the timber traffic on the Ross railway, which is the greatest in the South Island. The settlers engaged in dairying had a good year, while those with sheep, sent out a record number of lambs. The production from the district, augmented by fat cattle, is increasing year by year. The tourist season over the past year was a record, and the duration of the season is now longer also. Altogether there is every indication of progress in the south, and with the extension of the roads, the importance of the district will become more and more marked.

At the present, an officer of the Telegraph Department is in the Far South, exploring a route for a telephone link to connect Jackson Bay with Okuru. and so link up with the Westland system.